 Poster: A snowHead
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I have 2 days, 2 nights in Denver at the end of November (just before Thanksgiving, but fortunately will be out of there before that day!) Where am I staying and which lifts do I need to be near so I can ski out easily that early in the season? Was looking at Breckenridge, but happy for all suggestions. We will have a car.
Thanks to tips from here, I got my other ski trip of the season sorted out (Serre Chevalier) so looking forward to suggestions from people who know! I would generally avoid the US, but I have to be there so I figure I might as well enjoy it! Thanks.  ️
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Winter Park … a relatively short drive. We once had a good 8 days there.
Lifts are scheduled to open 28 October, but as with anywhere could be put back nearer the time. It’s another high altitude resort and mountain, so there are decent odds.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Slightly more data needed. If you're not on a weekend you can probably commute out to Loveland from Western Denver e.g. Wheatridge westwards. But really you'd be better staying at Georgetown or other side of tunnel. Dillon/Frisco give you the most options. Best snow probably at Breck or Copper. A Basin is high but AFAIK doesnt have as much snowmaking. Keystone is meh IMO.
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That's on the early side, so to be safe I'd go to Breck or Copper.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I wouldn’t commit to any specific resort. Weather can be freckle.
As for place to stay, I second Dillon/Frisco as a central place to stay. It allows you to easily get to Breck, Copper and even Vail. Keystone is just a stone throw from Frisco. So is Loveland. That’s about all the mountains that may potentially be open. Or you can stay at Keystone, which has more upscale lodging on offer.
2 days before Thanksgiving means it’s mid-week (Thanksgiving being always on a Thursday). No guarantee which mountain, never mind specific lift, to be open. On the other hand, it only take a couple of freak storms for all the mountains fully open! So…
Flexibility will be the best strategy.
Also, that time of year, I suspect you can find lodging in the morning of. So, unless you find a fantastic deal you can’t resist, I would leave it till late. (If you’re the nervous kind, book a lodging that can be cancelled up to 3 days before, and keep a keen eye on the forecast. If the weather pattern changes, you can change where to go at that point)
(I know people here can be very vocal about Breck. But staying there, it’s quite a drag trying to get to Copper. I wouldn’t “corner” myself there if it were me)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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OP said "...two nights in Denver..."?
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Thanks all. Yes, very happy to be very flexible right up till last minute. I cannot imagine all of the accommodation will be fully booked. And no - I don’t want to actually stay in Denver and drive to snow each day - I’d much rather be staying where I’m skiing! I had an epic 48hr stop in Calgary once in mid-November, and made the most of that staying in Banff and went to Lake Louise one day and Sunshine the other where I was lucky enough to ski in pristine deep powder with almost no one else on the slopes, and I supposed I am hoping to replicate that trip. Hopefully the weather will oblige!
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| pandora wrote: |
| I supposed I am hoping to replicate that trip. Hopefully the weather will oblige! |
It’s entirely possible to replicate that experience.
But it can also be just a couple WROD (White Ribbon of Death), full of unguided missile of human bodies! In that case, you may be better off hiring a bike or go for a hike!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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No way the ski train will be running pre-Thanksgiving.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Aaaaaahh fair point, the detail did not sink in, classic SH response 
But anyway, it was a great way to go there, and then after Winter Park, we went on to Steamboat, I think?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Winter Park looks lovely! Had not looked at it before (my colleagues all go to Keystone or Loveland as they are closer to Denver and they usually only get one day to ski) so they have all been a bit useless with ski resort tips. Useful for car hire tips though. We will definitely be hiring a car. I think plan is to wait till a week before we go and then make a choice based on snow. As someone who is a bit of a sucker for punishment, if there was no snow at all we’d enjoy a couple of days hiking!  But having a few ideas up our sleeves will help immensely.
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We skiied Winter Park a few years ago and it is indeed a nice resort, we did the TO thing so not sure about the logisics of a few days but I'd give it a vote of confidence!
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You know it makes sense.
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@pandora, my experience last year was that there is a massive difference in hotel prices (in early Feb) from 3 weeks before, to 3 days before. About 2-3x. There's also a big advantage in choosing your lift pass now - e.g. buying 2 days of Epic is about £100, vs ticket office prices could be 3-4x that.
I'm not sure how much being super-early season will make a difference, but I can speculate that if there's a decent dump of snow, lots of people will have early-season-enthusiasm.
Last season I settled on using Epic (same this season), and booked hotels on flexible rates so I could change if need be. Probably saved me £1k for a 2.5day trip.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| snowdave wrote: |
I'm not sure how much being super-early season will make a difference, but I can speculate that if there's a decent dump of snow, lots of people will have early-season-enthusiasm.
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Big difference!
2 days before Thanksgiving, most people will be arranging dinner plans instead of skiing plans.
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Poster: A snowHead
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My wife and I did Vail with me flying in from St.Louis after a business trip, and her flying in from London. What I liked about it logistically is that it’s on the freeway: we took the exit and pretty much drove straight into the multi-storey car park, then walked a short distance to our small but cosy apartment. A couple of years later, I did a 2 night excursion on the end of a Denver business trip and colleagues organised it, driving to an apparently nearer but smaller resort. It turned out that once we exited the freeway, the drive up the valley to the resort took almost as long as if we’d driven to Vail anyway. I suppose what I’m saying is don’t discount Vail just because it’s further away: it’s all freeway and right by it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I’d go to winter park.
When I went as a yoof, we drove the trip back to Denver one day to go to the cheesecake factory  it’s one of the closest resorts to Denver if I recall correctly
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Another vote for Winter Park - fond memories and plenty of terrain. But depends on your vibe - we found slope users at Steamboat quite competitive and assertive, but at Winter Park more relaxed. This was 15 years ago mind so all may have changed.
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